Global Leading Indicators

For Release 10:30 AM ET, July 8, 2026

Using the Composite Indexes: The Leading Economic Index (LEI) provides an early indication of significant turning points in the business cycle and where the economy is heading in the near term. The Coincident Economic Index (CEI) provides an indication of the current state of the economy. Additional details are below.

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index^® (LEI) for South Korea increased by 0.8% to 118.6 (2016=100) in May 2026, after increasing by 0.3% in April. The LEI expanded by 4.5% over the six-month period between November 2025 and May 2026, a substantially faster rate compared to the 2.6% growth over the previous six-month period between May and November 2025.

The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index^® (CEI) for South Korea decreased by 0.9% to 110.8 (2016=100) in May 2026, following a similar 0.8% decrease in April. However, overall, the CEI expanded by 0.9% over the six-month period between November 2025 and May 2026, up slightly from the 0.5% growth over the previous six-month period.

The next release is scheduled for Thursday, August 6, 2026, at 10:30 A.M. ET.

The South Korea LEI increased sharply in May 

Driven by strong stock prices that helped to offset weakness in the index of inventories to shipments, exports, and yields of government bonds

The strong annual growth rate of the South Korea LEI held steady in May, indicating tailwinds to economic activity in the near term

About The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) and Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for South Korea
The composite economic indexes are key elements in an analytic system designed to signal peaks and troughs in the business cycle. Comprised of multiple independent indicators, the indexes are constructed to summarize and reveal common turning points in the economy in a clearer and more convincing manner than any individual component.

The CEI reflects current economic conditions and is highly correlated with real GDP. The LEI is a predictive tool that anticipates—or “leads”—turning points in the business cycle by around three months.

The six components of the Leading Economic Index® for South Korea are:

• Stock Prices
• Yield of Government Public Bonds
• Real Exports FOB (3-month moving average)
• Value of Machinery Orders
• Index of Inventories to Shipments
• Private Construction Orders

The four components of the Coincident Economic Index® for South Korea are:

• Industrial Production
• Wholesale and Retail Sales
• Total Employment
• Monthly Cash Earnings

 To access data, please visit: https://data-central.conference-board.org/

 About The Conference Board

The Conference Board is the Member-driven think tank that delivers Trusted Insights for What's Ahead^®®. Founded in 1916, we are a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status in the United States. TCB.org  l  Learn about Membership